Death & The Confused Kid 2
by Alex McM
Summary: My holiday ended in a war that nearly wiped out Karakura town, but I enjoyed my stay so much that I've moved here permanently! The only problem is that the life of a 15 year old Aussie substitute shinigami isn't easy. I sense something dangerous... SI
1. Return Trip

**Death & The Confused Kid 2**

Here it is, the sequel to the surprisingly popular death and the confused kid. It will have plenty of the bizare moments that made the first one what it was, but there will be more action this time around. Hopefully I don't piss off as many people as I did last time, because many readers got angry with me...As you should know this is a self-insert story. Anyway, read on and enjoy and don't be stingy with the reviews!

**Return Trip**

SYDNEY AIRPORT

Like any great story, it all started in a toilet cubicle. The three hour drive to the airport was bad enough without being busting for the final quarter. I stand before the unfortunate ceramic bowl and heed natures call before stepping out into the main area of the men's room. As I wash my hands I feel an odd presence behind me and as I gaze up at the mirror I notice the door shutting softly.

I shrug my shoulders and study my face which is marred by dark bags under my eyes. It's only seven o'clock right now, so I must've woken up at about four in the morning...

I trudge out into the main terminal and find my many assorted boxes and bags being watched over cautiously by my father. I approach and yawn before thanking him for driving me up to the airport at such an early time.

He goes through the obligatory speech about how it's no problem but his eyes are saying 'You bastard!' He looks at a large board at the other end of the room and reads through the flight times until he comes across mine.

"You flight's due in about an hour..." He murmurs his voice croaky due to his drowsiness.

"I'll be fine from here." I respond quietly.

My father extends a sun scorched hand and I shake it.

"Have fun mate! See you at Christmas." He pats my shoulder and helps me load my possessions onto a trolley. Then we part ways.

I promised him I'd come back once a year at the least to see the family, but that seems quite a bother. I'm not made of money, but despite that I guess I should put in the effort anyway...

I derail my current train of thought and drag the heavy trolley over to the luggage area. The conveyor belt hums quietly as it does its job. I unload my luggage and frown. My whole life was able to fit in a trolley...

I ignore the sobering thought and proceed over to the ticket lady. This woman is different from the last one I met, but she's also a blonde lady with blue eyes (Hitler's favourite apparently.) She looks similar enough for me to fake a familiarity with the staff and I force small talk as she studies my ticket. It's a trial, but it's soon over.

The security guard at the check point is the exact same guard that screened me on my first trip. I wav sarcastically but his glare makes me stop. He either hates his job or me, but signs seem to point to both...That or he's just an asshole. He throws a tray at me and I empty my pockets onto them. I then proceed through the metal detector which thankfully stays silent.

"Didn't you have glasses last time?" He growls in an accent I have never heard of before.

"Anything's possible in Japan!" I smile falsely and he groans.

I take back my belongings and sit down in the waiting area. The seats have been replaced since my first trip and they are more comfy. I could sleep in them, but that would be plain stupid.

I turn on my Ipod and listen intently to the roars and screams of one of the many death metal songs I have. As an old lady walks past me I turn up the volume so that she can hear it. She stares at me and then hurries off. I laugh inside. It's a fun game I've started playing. The rules are quite simple. All you have to do is play loud heavy metal around people and try to scare them. It works about 80% of the time.

While I play the game, I look around, half expecting someone to come talk to me, sort of like deja vu for the first flight. Unfortunately, as the minutes tick by, I make no new friends. Oh well, I wasn't in the mood for socialising right now anyway.

A voice calls out over the P.A and I turn my Ipod off to listen to the mechanical voice.

#The flight to Japan in boarding now. All passengers on the 8:30 flight to Japan please head to the boarding gate.#

I rise to my feet and study the other passengers. Most of them are ordinary looking people, but there are two Goths. I instinctively become afraid, a common thing since the events in Karakura Town last year. I somehow caught Emophobia, but I curse in my mind, reminding myself that not every person with jet black hair and pale skin is a killer.

I join the back of the line and wait impatiently as the line progresses at the speed of an injured snail.

When I finally reach the plane I feel like my legs are going to fall apart. I hurriedly find my seat and sink into it, sighing with relief as my feet have their well earned break.

I'm in a window seat this time so I watch the airport staff scurry about like ants for a while before resorting to watching the passengers more or less do the same thing. An old man sits on the outside seat and I curse inwardly.

_No! I don't want to sit next to a freaking dinosaur! If he's got a wife I'm leaving!_

I bite my tongue as I watch several old women walk past; thankfully each one goes straight past us...Thankfully.

Eventually a young woman stops beside the man and then at the seat between us. I feel a glimmer of hope, but then the girl checks her ticket and giggles.

"Oops, I'm in the row behind! Silly me!"

_Damn it!!_

Next, a pregnant woman stops by the seat. She turns around and sits in the row opposite. This waiting game is becoming agonizing now. At long last, another young woman approaches and smiles warmly at the withered old man who gets up to let her through.

I sigh inwardly and eye her up and down while she's still conversing with the old man. When she sits down I stray my eyes away and look outside, waiting for the inevitable 'Hello.'

For a while it doesn't happen. I quickly come to think of her as a snob but then she says it.

"Hello." Right from the script, but whatever, I don't mind. I repeat the word and give a slight smile.

"Looks like we're gonna be friends for a while." She says sweetly.

"How so?" I ask, somewhat confused.

"Well, this flight is a few hours long and it would be pretty boring if nobody spoke, wouldn't it?" She grins and I suddenly get that warm feeling inside like when you see a little puppy roll over. Yes that's right, even metal heads get that...We aren't that evil...Geez!

I laugh like an idiot. "I guess that would be pretty lame." Normally I would have said shit, but I don't want to offend her in the first fifty seconds of our flight. We've got a hell of a long flight ahead and it would be best to enjoy it.

"I'm Alice."

"Alex." I reply.

"This is my grandfather." She points to the wrinkled pile of flesh that once would have looked like a regular person.

"Well, he is a few decades too old to be your father." I joke but I don't hear her laughing. She nods and makes that humming noise that signifies agreement. I apologise and she waves it aside.

"No, don't worry, it was only a joke." Alice looks down at my shirt and then back at my face. "Do you really listen to that stuff?" She jabs a slender finger at the disembowelled zombie emblazoned on my shirt with 'Bloodbath' written in the corner. I nod and she raises an eyebrow. "You don't look like it..."

"Why not?"

"I don't know...You just...Don't." She struggles to form a reason and shrugs.

"Do you?" I ask, trying to keep a conversation for a little while longer.

"A little, but the really heavy stuff is a bit too much." She murmurs.

"It takes specially tuned ears to love it. Thankfully I have them." We both laugh and then the silence ensues.

It's so awkward that at one point I feel like asking something stupid like 'Have you been to Japan before?' but I refrain from it for another few minutes. The girl starts talking to her pet dinosaur/grandfather and I tune out to some metal.

It's not for about three hours until the girl begins tapping my shoulder. I turn to her and realise that her mouth is moving but I can't hear her. I turn the music down and try to listen but still it just looks like she's miming. I take out my headphones and stare at her, but her words are still unheard. She frowns and gestures for me to lean closer. I do so and she attempts to whisper in my ear, but I still can't hear. I begin fearing I've gone deaf then...

"It's a bit loud!!" She yells right in my ear and I recoil, banging my head on the window.

"Argh fuck!" I growl as I grasp my bruised skull. Alice bursts out laughing and then gasps.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean for you to-"

I raise a hand and cut her off. "It's only a tap. Don't worry about it."

"But-"

"I'm fine!" I snarl, frightening her. She stares at me with wide eyes and opens her mouth to speak before stopping herself.

Great, I've screwed this up...

A movie comes on and we forget that the whole thing ever happened, losing ourselves in the magic of Hollywood.

When it's over, we go to sleep.

*****

It's been a restless sleep, my bruised head aches even when it's against a pillow. I open my eyes and my peripheral vision catches Alice watching me cautiously. When I spin my head towards her she tries to look away but fails to do it in time. She smiles awkwardly and rubs the back of her head.

"How's your head?"

"Better...Stop worrying about it..."

"Okay..." She mumbles. "We should be landing soon."

"Great, Rukia's probably tired of waiting..." I notice a sign of distress on her face.

"Who's that?" She asks almost fearfully.

"A friend. I'm going to be living in Japan now." Her face lightens up and I feel a little better inside.

"Wow. That's great. Good luck."

"Thanks. If you're ever in Karakura Town, then stop by and say hi." Another obligatory statement, but it works well.

We continue with small talk until the plane lands, then we say our goodbyes and she chats with her grandfather. I watch her go and wait for the crowd to pass before getting off of the plane.

As I head into the arrivals lounge I notice some familiar faces. It's my new family. Ichigo is loading boxes and bags onto a trolley. Rukia is picking them off of the conveyor belt. Inoue is waving like a fool to get my attention.

I approach them and greet them with an overly cheery hello. Rather than stand around and chat, we go find a taxi-van and begin loading my stuff in. We then clamber inside and greet the driver who just grumbles something under his breath. Seriously, what's up with the taxi drivers here?!

I regale the group with marvellous tales of my time in Australia, though it is somehow less exciting than what happened here a while ago. I don't know, maybe it's just me, or is fighting monsters with swords a bit more awesome than meeting up with family?

I drag the stories out for a while and soon we're at the apartment block. I suddenly feel nostalgic, even though it's only been a few months since I was last here.

We unload everything and then cough on dust as the van speeds off.

I stand outside, marvelling at the building which is my new home. It's been restored in the last few months. I remember how it was damaged in the war with the hollows. Hopefully, nothing like that will happen ever again, though I can't seem to shake the feeling that it will...

It's a real pain in the ass carrying the stuff upstairs. It's a painstaking job which takes about an hour. We get everything in just before sunset and I leave it all unpacked for now. Jetlag takes its toll and I collapse on the bed which has gathered a thin layer of dust in my absence.

The others leave me be and I doze off after only a few minutes and just before I pass out I think to myself...I'm finally home...

I haven't got much to say except...**_PLEASE REVIEW!!! DO IT!!!!_**


	2. Dawn Of A New Day

**Dawn Of A New Day**

I am forcefully awakened by the irritating tapping on my stomach. I roll over and grumble but then the annoying son of a bitch grabs my shoulder and shakes me like a newborn baby (What a disgusting joke!) I have had enough of this. I open my eyes and bolt upright with half open eyes.

"WHAT?" I growl with a croaking voice.

Rukia has retreated to the far end of the room and she is staring at the TV screen. "Look." She whispers.

I do so, seeing as how I have nothing else to do.

On-screen an old man who according to the blue bar beneath his name is the head of the airline company I used for my flight here. He looks pretty worried, but I can't care less. It was probably just a bomb scare or some silly little story. But then again, Rukia seemed pretty frightened, so maybe it was something else.

When the scene cut to a front yard with a bunch of silhouettes drawn in chalk, then I'm fairly certain this is something else.

"What is it?" I ask with a voice that sounds like an old door being wrenched open.

"A bunch of people on your flight...They've all been killed!"

"So, it was one family. What does that have to do with-" I recognise my mistake when a number of photos appear on-screen, each one a portrait shot. There are about twenty all up, that's more than a single family...

"Someone has been killing off all the passengers on that flight!" Rukia grips my shoulder and gazes into my weary eyes. Her own eyes are glistening, wet with fresh tears. "Alex, please be careful..."

"Of course I'm careful! If I wasn't careful I would have been buried in rubble months ago!" Rukia begins to weep and I apologise. "Look, don't get so worked up about it. I won't let some cheap killer get the upper hand on me. If anyone even looks at me funny I'll beat the crap out of him!"

"Promise?" Rukia asks.

"Yeah, sure. Now stop crying. We've got nothing to worry about!" I change the channel to a Japanese game show. There is a young man getting his ass handed to him by a moving plastic wall.

I ignore the TV and wander over to the small section of wall space that is called the kitchen. It's only a fridge, oven, pantry and sink built into the wall and a bench set up nearby. Still, it's more than enough for me. I approach the kettle which is already boiled and then I pour a cup of coffee. I stare at the black fluid with contempt and then drown it in milk to give it a richer tan colour. I then down the whole thing in the span of a minute, letting the boiling coffee scald my innards into alertness.

Rukia watches me with a frown and I sigh as I cross the room to where she's standing. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm just...worried."

"Come on Rukia, there's nothing to worry about. If I can survive a war then I think I can escape from a silly little psychopath who rather disliked his flight-mates."

"I know...It's just..."

"Just what?" I'm starting to get tired of Rukia's ill-placed concerns. There is nothing to be afraid of. The bad guys were all killed months ago, there is no more threat besides the occasional hollow, but that's nothing compared to the enemies we've faced in the past.

Rukia ignores me and wanders of to the bathroom to get dressed.

I however am in less of a rush. It's the weekend and I damn well deserved a break. Anyway, I have to unpack my life from the few boxes I have and set up my new home.

Rukia strolls out in a blue dress and looks out the window. "I'm going out shopping with Orihime. I'll be back later, but please don't go out with that killer on the loose."

"Fine!" I yell. Rukia continues with the mother act for a while eventually leaving me to unpack.

I start with a box of CD's. The collection is only about fifty metal albums, all of them pure gold...Well at least to me. They fit well enough into a CD rack beside the TV and I then tear open a large box containing an electric guitar I bought just before catching the plane here. It's black BC Rich Warlock. I sit it against the wall and then place the amp underneath.

I frown at the realisation that it only took two minutes to unload half of my belongings...

The biggest part is my books. It's about thirty manga volumes, A similar number of Darren Shan books and then a few other novels. Next is four how-to-draw books. When that's done I stare at the final two boxes.

One is the last of my clothes. A small collection of band t-shirts that fit into a single drawer. The lot I brought over the first time remain untouched in their own drawers.

I hold the scissors over the final box. I hesitate to open the last of my life's treasures.

Meh, fuck it. I hack at the thick tape and wrench the lid open to unveil the last of my belongings, all stuffed into one box. It's a set of ornamental samurai swords and some other stuff. I lift out the swords one by one and frown. They may seem a little inferior since I got a Zanpakuto but if there was ever an emergency, then I'm sure it would be suited to slaying a hollow or two. I place them on their stand and then place the set in several different areas around the apartment. After three possible positions I completely change my mind and place them on top of a set of drawers.

I'm almost disappointed that I took less than five minutes to unpack. Rukia will be gone for hours and I've already done everything...

I juggle with either going back to sleep, going out to get something to eat or to go sight-seeing, but unfortunately my choices are all discarded when I overhear the unmistakeable howl of a hollow.

What a bastard! I could have gone back to sleep! I'll make sure to kick its ass!

I run out the door and slam it shut behind me. I then try to use my senses to find it. Unfortunately, I suck at tracing reiatsu so that leads me nowhere. When I give up I resort to following the sound of its roars. That works well enough and after a few minutes I find the sneaky soul devouring monster. It's only a small one but it has large spines jutting out of its back almost like an echidna, only way more dangerous...Also I doubt this thing would end up at a zoo to be gawked at by tourists...

The echidna hollow snarls at me and flexes the long bony fingers on it's proportionately smaller arms. I want to laugh at its ridiculous limbs, but the two dead children beneath it make it hard to find humour. The beast reaches down with one of its T-Rex arms and picks up one of the corpses. Its long fingers coil around it and begin to squeeze.

I wince at the sound of breaking bones and at that moment I can't stand it anymore. I clench my sword tight and charge.

The hollow hurls the small body into the air and then catches it in its jaws, crunching down on it with its oversized molar teeth. I close my eyes to avoid seeing the worst of it and then leap into the air. I should have thought that through...

The monster curls up in a ball with its large spines pointing outwards. I catch myself in mid-air and wait for him to unfurl his body and reveal his soft belly.

Unfortunately, I've underestimated him again...I really suck at this. The echidna hollow grunts and suddenly a bunch of its spines shoot out like individual harpoons. If I were in a children's cartoon my eyes would be popping out of my head no doubt...But life isn't like that. Instead I make a retarded croaky noise that's somewhere between a curse word and an alarmed cry.

Even the hollow seems to roll his eyes at the noise.

The spines close in and surround me almost like homing missiles and I swat at them with my sword, sending some of them off course, only to slice through the surrounding buildings. I can hear people screaming from inside the office buildings; in fact it puts me off. Two of the spines hit, thankfully they only sink in a little rather than impale me which is surprising because I never knew hollows could be merciful.

The rest of the flying spines flop down to the ground like badly constructed paper planes. I drop down as well and stare at the porcupine that has a large gash in his back. There is also a person standing in the vacant area where the spined shot out from. The strange thing is...The person is holding a katana, slick with vile hollows blood.

I am too stunned at this unusual rescue that I can't move. I merely watch on as the person back flips off of the hollow's back and lands in a crouch beneath its face. The hollow swipes with one of its tiny arms but the warrior ducks under the huge bony fingers and then hacks at the wrist, amputating the oversized hand.

The hollow whines and lashes out with the other arm, only to experience the same fate. It curls up in a ball but the warrior just leaps onto its back again and drives their sword through its back, they then continue to drill through the monster, cutting through its ribs and forcing their way through the chest until they are trapped inside the monsters belly.

The hollow uncurls and lifts it's head up high to protect it, but the warrior bursts out of its chest almost like a samurai chest burster (Wouldn't that be an awesome Alien movie?) Somehow, the hollow doesn't die and it instead rolls around on the ground wailing like a lost child. The warrior lances the beast in the forehead and it disintegrates.

I can't resist the urge. I give the warrior a round of applause, but I think it may have angered him...or her, I can't tell because of the ninja mask.

The warrior studies me, eyeing me up and down, taking in every detail, then he (Or she, I really can't tell) runs off. I try to follow, but whoever it was must have been an Olympic sprinter because they were already out of sight after only a few seconds.

Well, that's enough excitement for one day. Now I can go home and sleep!

I flash step home, deliberately using a lot of energy so that I'll be tired. Call it clever or stupid, I don't care, as long as I get my shut eye I'm happy.

The front door is wide open. I feel like yelling at the old lady who lives in the bottom floor, but I decide against it when I realise it could have been me who left it open. I ignore it and trudge up the stairs. My mind becomes a blank when I finally reach my room. The door is wide open as well...Silly me.

No, wait! I swear I shut the door! Oh crap, did I get robbed?

I run inside only to find the room is still the same. The TV is still there, as are the swords. My guitar is still leaning against the wall, unmarked. None of the drawers are open either...Maybe it was just my imagination...

I can't shake the feeling that something bad happened, so I sit up for half an hour just staring at various points in the room as if a robber will pop out of nowhere in that exact spot. It takes me a while to realise how bloody stupid and pointless it is and I force myself to sleep...Well lie down with my eyes closed would be a better way to put it. It's another hour until I really do doze off.

I'm right in the middle of a wonderful dream where I'm walking through a graveyard and each grave has the name of a person I hate engraved in it. There's Justin Beiber, That guy who played Edward in the Twilight movie, a bunch of people from school and my neighbourhood in Australia, that security guard from the airport, the two hosts of 'Hit list TV'. I then stop and study a small grave just on the end of the row. The hole is still freshly dug and there is fog rising up from the vacant hole. I stoop down and stare at the name. It's...It's mine! Something jumps out of the grave and reaches towards me.

I wake up with a start and look around. It's dark and there is a silhouette standing over me with a blunt object in one hand. I yell and lash out at the intruder who gives off a girly scream. I kick her in the stomach and watch her fly across the room into the wall. There is a loud splashing sound and something similar to glass smashing.

I jump out of bed and bunch my fists, trying to remember some of the moves I learned in Tae Kwon Do several years ago. I remember one special kick and I grin confidently. I'll show this sneaky son a bitch that she chose the wrong guy to try and kill in his sleep.

The girl stands up shakily and holds her hands out in a feeble plea for mercy. Tough luck. It's too late now! I'll finish this with a-

Oh no! No, no, no, no! Oh shit what have I done?

I fall off of the bed and bang my head on the small bedside table. I feel blood oozing out into my hair and down the back of my head. I whimper and then crawl over to the lamp. I switch it on and the light reveals my worst fears.

The 'dirty little thief' was in fact Rukia and my badly-timed dream made me think she was a murderer. I crawl over and repeat the words "I'm sorry." so many times that it nearly loses its meaning.

Rukia's sobbing is horrible. It cuts through me like a knife. I turn on the main light and inspect the damage. There is coffee spilled all over the floor and the mug has smashed into little pieces, some of which I accidentally stepped on. I yank the sharp ceramic shards out and then return to comforting Rukia.

The poor girl was sprayed with the coffee and it's made her skin go red. I must have kicked her too hard because she's gasping for breath. I continue to apologise but even if I say it a million times I doubt it will make up for this.

"Rukia, please forgive me, I was just having a-"

She raises a shaking hand and takes another shallow breath. She want's to speak but I've knocked the wind out of her. I feel like such an asshole. But worse still, that dream was too strange. Right at the end...It almost felt...Real...

What a horrible way to start my new life in Japan...What was up with that dream? And who was that warrior who killed the hollow? There is some weird shit going down in Karakura Town and somebody is going to have to find out the truth. Anyone? Anyone at all? .............. Dammit! I guess I'll have to!

Please review! Is this a good sequel so far? Is it better than the original? Is it lacking? I'll never know if you don't tell me.


	3. Mysteries

**Mysteries**

It's been an hour since the little mix-up (Well, maybe not little...Maybe absolutely freaking huge!) Rukia has been cleaned up. The coffee burns have dissipated and she's able to breathe comfortably again. Unfortunately, the agonizing awkwardness and deathly silence has been the same for the whole time.

Every few minutes I break the silence and ask if she's okay. I still feel like a total dick. Even if it was an accident, it was just...I don't know...Wrong.

"I promise I'll make it up to you!" I practically plead to her. It's more of a request than a statement, but her feeble nod makes me feel a little better. I sit beside her with my eyes focused on the coffee stains on the floor. If my dream was real, then that puddle would have been very different...

The vivid realism in the dream still gnaws at my mind. I can almost see the little devil dude sitting on my left shoulder telling me I'm going to die while the angel on the right is trying to reassure me. I stare at my shoulders, half expecting my warped mind to hallucinate and bring the silly little idea to life. In the end, I just see shoulders, nothing else...Aww, I was looking forward to meeting the little devil, I'm sure we'd have lots in common.

Anyway, back to the important matter of my hyper-aggressive attack on Rukia. She stands up and wobbles on her feet as she shuffles over to the bathroom. I can just picture her spending half a day in there like a lot of women do. Unfortunately, the sexist little thought fails to bring a smile to my face. Usually being a smart-ass to the world makes me happy, but today just isn't the same...

I take my mind off of it and knock on the bathroom door, arousing a frightened squeal from Rukia.

"I'm going for a walk." I call needlessly through the door.

There is an unnerving silence before she responds with a barely audible whisper. "Ok."

I frown and trudge outside. My knees feel like they are made of jelly and I wobble constantly almost like I have polio (Geez, that's wrong!) Going down the stairs with numb legs is more frightening than I ever thought...Not that I've actually thought about it until now. I struggle through the surprisingly difficult task and eventually end up outside.

The bright blue sun is gone and a depressing shade of grey covers the sky. Darker clouds add a little diversity to the mix, almost like the sky is a dark grey combat pattern. I stare at the mournful clouds and one of them spits on me.

Rain...At a time like this? I thought the worst was over...A human mistake.

Since I'm already out in the open, I resume my walk, even though I'm only in a T-shirt and long pants. I study the large goosebumps that rise on my skin and I shiver fervently. The sound of my teeth chattering almost sounds like an abstract blast-beat. Even my 'Metal Therapy' wouldn't cheer me up today and trust me it works any other time.

I battle through the sudden chills and walk down the streets which are already growing puddles. The rain hits hard, as if each one is a liquefied rock. It feels like a few paintball guns are constantly shooting down on me. When it begins to hurt too much I duck under a roof and wait for the rain to die down a bit. Unfortunately, the opposite occurs and instead it begins pissing down. (Yeah that's right I'm Aussie!)

I realise there's no way it's going to stop soon, so I duck inside the little cafe and shake myself like a dog. Water sprays off of me and splatters the tiled floor around me. A few tired commuters glare at me as if I'm a complete moron but I just ignore them and walk towards the counter.

While I wait to be served I notice that I'm still freezing, but then again I'm drenched, so there may be a reason why the heaters can't help me. A young peppy blonde girl skips up towards me and smiles, revealing coloured braces.

"Can I help you?" She asks in a voice that's ridiculously cheery for such a time.

I grab a few locks of hair and squeeze, draining it like a 'Shamwow' from the infomercials. I shiver in such a painfully obvious way that it looks like I've had a second long seizure. "Have you got a towel?" I ask, feeling like such a tool for saying it.

The girl cocks her head and says no. "There's a heater over on that side wall, it might dry you up!" Clever girl, I never knew a blonde could think so rationally so early in the morning. I nod, though the miniature convulsion that accompanies it makes it look more like a mental tick than a nod. Nevertheless, the girl leads me over and takes out a little notepad.

I sink into the soft red lounge which instantly gets soaked upon impact with my rain catching clothes. I order a coffee and then watch her walk back behind the counter. Well, I'm still partly myself I guess...

The heat coming from the large heater is almost heavenly...No wait, Hell's the place with all the fire. Oh screw it, it's not important! Warm breeze dries up the worst of the soaking and after about five minutes the shivering stops.

Eventually a different girl walks out from behind the counter and gives me my coffee. I down half the cup in one gulp, scalding my throat and probably causing so much damage that I'll have to drink tap water permanently once I hit thirty. I spot a rolled up newspaper on the seat across from me and I snatch it using too much effort when frankly no-one was going to take it anyway.

The front page has a headline that shocks me. "Flight passengers hunted." I read aloud, surprisingly calm.

I skim through the article, reading through a list of names, none of which ring a bell. All up there are now twenty-six victims. According to the flight records there were only about ten more people on the flight...And one of them had to be me...Yay.

"Horrible isn't it?" Someone asks and I jolt as if I've just been electrocuted. I turn and stare at the surprise guest. It's Ichigo. I greet him and gesture for him to take a seat.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, because Ichigo doesn't seem like the latte-sipping commuter to me.

"Well, it's storming out there. I came in here just to warm up, and then I saw you and thought I'd have a little chat." Ichigo's expression makes me feel uneasy. It's like the smile a killer in a move makes. The one that says "I'm going to kill you, but don't worry, it's for a good reason."

I open my mouth to speak but Ichigo slams his hands down on the desk and cuts me off.

"What did you do to Rukia?" The question comes as a surprise for some reason. I should have guessed Ichigo's 'Rukia shield' complex would kick in very soon.

"Look, it was just an accident-"

"Bull! She's holed up in the bathroom crying! What did you do?" Ichigo looks more desperate than outraged.

"I had a...Nightmare. I woke up in a panic and lashed out at Rukia because..."

"Because why?" Ichigo crosses his arms impatiently.

"Because I thought she was going to kill me..." I mutter, and yes it does feel very humiliating admitting such a silly thing.

"What made you think that?" Ichigo growls angrily.

"This." I hold up the newspaper and show him the article. "That's my flight. I could be next!"

"Geez...That's not good." Ichigo struggles for those words and they fail to hit the mark.

"Not good? It's bloody terrifying! I might have to kill someone!" Ichigo laughs. It's so inappropriate that it makes me wince.

"I didn't want to have to tell you this Alex but...Every single hollow you've killed was once a regular person." That hits hard. A sledgehammer to the face would have had less impact. My eyes widen and I stare at my hands.

"I thought hollows were only created from evil people?" I croak.

"Nope. Just ordinary people. Evil people can become hollows but more often they just go to hell." The revelation makes me shudder. I thought I was ridding the world of evil souls from evil people, but those twisted monsters are just the corrupted souls of innocents. That porcupine thing I saw the other day could have been one of the people on my flight!

"I killed...Innocent people?"

Ichigo nods slowly.

"Awesome!" I shock even myself. I mean sure I always told my friends back in Oz that one day I'd be a serial killer, but I was only joking...Wasn't I? Am I really such a psychopath?

Ichigo's jaw has dropped. Clearly he wasn't expecting that, but neither was I, so we're both amazed. "Did you just say that?" Ichigo asks, unsure he heard me right.

"I...I said...Awesome?" I stare down at the newspaper, reading all the names of the dead and then envisioning myself slaying them as they turn into hollows. I shake my head and clear the thought, but now I can't feel regret. An unusual feeling of excitement comes over me and it sickens me. I'm getting hyped up because I've found out I'm a murderer! Even I think it's wrong.

"Are you alright?" Ichigo asks.

I want to say no but my head rocks forward in an unwanted nod.

"You sure?"

I nod involuntarily again. Ichigo frowns at me and then rises to his feet. "Well...Be careful and don't have any more freak-outs, okay?" He sounds like a mother. I nod at a constant pace and pretend to listen. "And make sure you apologise to Rukia."

I was planning on doing that anyway. He didn't need to tell me that. But for now that's the least of my concern. Right now I need to get some answers...And only one person can help me.

I leave shortly after Ichigo, but our paths split off in different directions so I don't bother trying to catch up to him.

The rain has ceased for now and I am free to walk at a leisurely pace without a care in the world...Well that's a bit of an understatement. I try to clear my mind of the odd occurrences but there are so many that as one is forgotten another just pops up to reminds me that this holiday is going even worse than my first one.

I'm so caught up in my problems that I fail to notice someone walking towards me. I bump into them and nearly trip on their feet. I hastefully apologise but the person doesn't even make a noise, just keeps walking as if they'd just walked through a ghost.

"How rude." I mutter as I dust myself of and continue my walk.

After a while I notice a sharp pain in my side but I don't take too much notice. I treat it as a stitch and just ignore it. The sooner I get to my destination the sooner I can rest my aching body. I duck through an alley and overhear a loud bang behind me. I turn around and walk backwards a few steps, still trying to see what caused the noise. After a few seconds I'm fairly certain that nothing is there and so I turn around, only to bump into another person.

This time I fall on my arse and I grunt as I graze my palm on the cement. I look up to the poor person I just bumped into. I recognise it as the same person from before...The exact same person whom walked past me just a minute ago! In fact, it's the same ninja warrior who killed that hollow yesterday1 I'm sure of it!

I hide my confusion as best I can and extend a hand apologetically. "Sorry about that. I should have been watching where I was going."

The person removes the ninja mask and sighs. I spot a soft, feminine face. Wait, this person was a woman? I could have sworn it was a guy, how else would I have been knocked down so easily!

"So we meet again." She says in a sensual voice. It's sort of strange to have a woman dressed as a ninja speaking in such a way.

"Um...Excuse me, but...Who are you?" I ask, blushing for an unknown reason.

"You're the boy I saw yesterday...The shinigami." She knows...But then does that mean she's a comrade? She could be from the punishment squad? Those people dressed as ninja's if my memory is correct. Well, regardless, I feel like I can trust her. It may be a mistake, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

"What is your name?" The girl asks.

"You haven't answered my question yet..." I explain to her.

She groans and shoots me a fierce glare. "Don't waste my time! What is your name?"

"Alex." I croak. She stares at me for a minute and frowns.

"You're not from around here." She suddenly looks very confused. "How did you become a shinigami?"

"Um...I'm not too sure about that..." I rub the back of my head and chuckle. "I'm on my way to meet with another shinigami. He'll explain everything to you!"

She grins and then puts her little mask back over her mouth. We get back on our feet and I lead the way to a special little store...

We walk in relative silence, and by relative silence I mean she's silent, even when I ask her questions. She's still reluctant to tell me anything, but she seems pretty damn interested in finding out about me. The awkward moment thankfully ends as soon as we end up at the store.

The Urahara store, a shinigami safe-house cleverly disguised as a mini-mart...Genius, though when no-one can really see shinigami it's not that necessary in the first place or at least I think so.

Urahara opens the door at a well timed moment, as if he knew we were coming all along, though that might have been true, considering it _is _Kisuke Urahara we're talking about.

"Alex, what a nice surprise and you brought a friend? Come in, come in!" He uses ridiculously over-acted hand gestures as he speaks. Even a blind person would be able to see through his facade. He's wary of the guest, but seeing me with her made him look the other way, for at least a little while.

We stroll inside and head to the main room which is bare, excluding the low-lying table that dominates the centre of the room. We both sit on one side and Urahara takes a seat opposite us.

"So, who's this?" Urahara nods in the direction of the unknown female ninja/shinigami/I have no fucking clue.

I open my mouth to speak but the girl answers before me.

"Roze. Roze Himegimi." She bowed and then smiled warmly.

Urahara still won't let his guard down, as to be expected from a powerful ex-captain. He folds his arms and stares at her. "Who are you and why are you here?"

Roze looks around and then shrugs her shoulders. "I am here to slay a demon!"

"Demon? You mean hollow?"

"No, a hollow has no choice in the matter! This man will choose to become the devil himself! I must stop him!" Her eyes blaze with passionate hatred. There is a fierce determination that proves she is serious.

Both me and Urahara share uneasy glances. This will be interesting...Or nightmarish, depending on how it turns out, but knowing my luck thus far I doubt it would be anything but the latter...Damn!

Please review!


	4. Demon Hunting

It's been a long wait but here it is! Enjoy!

**Demon Hunting**

Urahara glances at me with curious eyes. I know he's got about a hundred questions locked away within his mind but he doesn't ask them...Not yet.

Roze frowns at us. "You must believe me! I saw it!"

There is a tense silence and then Urahara speaks. "You said someone _will _become a demon...so how did you see him when it hasn't happened yet?"

Roze averts her gaze and sighs. "I didn't think you would believe me."

I have a smart-ass comment in mind but I keep it to myself. Now isn't the time for it. Instead, I turn to Urahara, hoping he can ask all the questions.

"Are you a shinigami?" Urahara asks bluntly.

Roze's eyes narrow and she stares straight at him. She hesitates to answer but eventually nods. Both Kisuke and I notice the suspicious behaviour but we don't call attention to it. Urahara grins and clasps his hands together.

"What squad?" Roze says nothing so Urahara repeats himself. "What squad are you in?"

Roze turns away and pretends to lose herself in thought. Urahara doesn't buy it and rises to his feet. I assume he's going to walk out of the room or something, but I'm stunned when his blade is drawn and pointed at her throat. Roze makes a choking noise and crawls backwards but Urahara stalks her and keeps the blade trained on her neck.

"I want answers." He snarls. "Tell me who you are! Now!"

"My name is Roze- Aagh!" Urahara slashes at the air only a few centimetres from her eyes. She whimpers and I notice a stray tear rolling down her cheek and soaking into her mask.

I keep a back seat approach to this, knowing full well that things are going to get nasty at some point. Roze looks over to me for help but I pretend to ignore her and look aside at the wall. No matter how hard I try I can't tune out to her frightened whimpering. She's on the verge of a breakdown from the sound of things but I keep my distance. The last time I became too close to a random stranger she ended up becoming my mortal enemy and I had to hack her to pieces to save my own skin...Well it won't happen again!

"Please? You have to trust me!" Roze cries.

"I will," Urahara murmurs, "As soon as you tell me who you are."

Roze curses lightly and stares into Urahara's eyes. "Fine then! Kill me! Do it! Watch your world fall apart! Watch as the demon butchers everyone you ever loved and cared for! Watch as the apocalypse unfolds!" She's trembling an awful lot and her skin is growing paler as she speaks. Either she's panicking about her situation, or she believes in her prophecy so strongly that it is terrifying her.

I can't pick which one, but either way her distress is getting to me. I curse myself for having a soft spot for women and then approach Urahara. "Hey...Maybe we should listen to what she has to say first?"

Urahara looks down at the unusual guest and then back to me. "Very well. I'll let her explain herself, but then she leaves my store!"

Roze nods shakily and Urahara reverts his sword back into a cane. He sits down cross-legged and awaits the explanation.

Roze takes a deep breath and calms herself down before telling us about her unusual theory. "I am Roze Himigimi, I am a shinigami, but I cannot tell you my rank or squad number."

"Why?" I inquire.

"Because the demon will hunt me too." She responds fearfully.

Urahara grasps his chin and leans forward, over-exaggerating his curiosity. "You always speak of things that _will _happen...Why is that so?"

Roze bows her head. "I had a premonition."

"Premonition?" Urahara repeats, surprised.

"Yes, my zanpakuto's power allows me to see through time, usually it's only a few seconds ahead, but for some reason I had a vision of something further ahead. I saw a demon standing over the ruins of a city. I delved further and saw my corpse lying in a gutter along with those of my comrades."

"Your squad was annihilated...So that's why you wont tell us you squad." Urahara pieced it together.

"Yes. I do not know much about this demon, but I have to find him before he fulfils the premonition!" Roze frowns. "Alas, even if I did find him, my power is not enough to stop him..."

There is a silence until I break it. "We can help!" I volunteer involuntarily. I want to take back what I said, but it's too late. I've acted like the nice guy and now I'm stuck with it. The way Roze reacts to my words makes me think she won't refuse the offer...Damn!

"If you could help me, we could bring down the demon!" Even though Roze's lower face is concealed by the mask I can tell she is smiling.

"Tell us more about this demon." Urahara demands.

"He is a shinigami...Though he has another power...I couldn't figure out what it was, but he was aided by another power...Something evil!"

Urahara's face darkens. "What is this power you foresaw?"

Roze frowns. "I...I don't know! All I remember is that he had eyes like...Like a hollow!"

Urahara looks even more nervous now. Somehow Roze's words have severed a nerve but I can't understand what it is that set him off.

"Are you alright Urahara?" I ask obligingly.

The stricken man nods slowly and rises to his feet. "Roze, I would like to speak with you more. Alex, you are free to go."

"What? But I thought I was going to help-"

"We will find you when we need you!" Urahara snaps. "Just go!"

I've seen Urahara fight when he's angry and I sure as hell don't want to go up against him. I stroll out cautiously and once I clear the front door I run. I don't know why...Maybe it's because if something is bad enough to scare Urahara...Then it's serious!

* * *

It's lonely walking through Karakura after a storm. The weather is still terrible but the rain has ceased for now. My heavy footfalls make loud splashes in the puddles that litter the ground. The sound is all that accompanies me out here at the moment. It's as if the whole town is dead.

I shake that thought out from my mind and try to think of a way to make it up to Rukia. I rack my brain trying to think of something but by the end I'm back where I started. I'll think of something later.

In the meantime, I can think about the demon. If he's real then the sooner he's found the better. My chance to help is low since I can't get to Soul Society without Urahara's help. I'm pretty much useless. I guess it's not all bad, though. I mean now I might not get caught up in another war. My battle with Beth is still fresh in my mind and I sure as hell don't want a repeat of that!

Still, some action would be alright, as long as it's not holding the earths future in the balance...Maybe a nice hollow hunt will tide me over.

I stalk the dark, damp alleys in search of prey, but all searches come up with nothing. I tire after a half hour and begin the trek home. I'm still the only one out on the streets...well at least I was.

A loud scream catches my attention. It sounds feminine. I rush to the aid of the damsel in distress but when I arrive, there is no assailant...Only a dying woman, clutching her slit throat and making horrible choking noises.

I run over and prop her up. "Who did this to you?" I demand, but it's practically useless.

She splutters and coughs but doesn't answer. I repeat myself just to be sure and she begins to rasp a word. She struggles with it and then stops herself. She wheezes pitifully as blood oozes between the fingers clutching her throat.

I can't stand to watch her suffer anymore. I stand up and draw my sword. I raise it above my head and prepare to swing down when someone tackles me. I grapple with the assailant and drive an elbow into his face. He knees me in the gut and punches my jaw. We roll about again and I dive out of the way and take up my sword.

It's only then that I realise its Ichigo. I lower my arms and curse.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo roars. "She's an innocent person! Why are you attacking her?"

I stare at my sword and the dying woman. I see the dots he connected and frown. "No, I didn't-"

"First Rukia and now this girl. What is happening to you?"

"I didn't attack her. The assailant ran off, but I was going to end her misery!"

"I'll end your misery!" Ichigo roared, charging. I flash step behind him and slide my blade until it is against his throat.

"Stand down. I'm not the bad guy here and neither are you. We've just been tricked." I explain calmly.

Ichigo relaxes and I put my sword back in its scabbard and return to human form. "She's dead now anyway." I murmur blankly, gazing over at the lifeless woman who has toppled forward. "The bastard must be long gone now..."

"Did you see this killer?" Ichigo asks.

"No." I sigh. "Let's go back now. Murderers don't strike twice in one night, usually."

Ichigo frowns. "You seem quite knowledgeable about this."

"I'm not nicknamed the serial killer for nothing you know." I state arrogantly. "Anyway, it's common knowledge."

"I guess, but I'm still watching you." Ichigo growls.

"It's not me you need to be watching. There's a demon out there." Ichigo's expression makes me yawn. I have to explain this to him... "There is a shinigami I met earlier today. She supposedly can see into the future. She had a vision of a shinigami with hollow eyes standing over the ruins of a city. That is the demon."

"Who is it?"

"We don't know. Urahara is questioning her further but he doesn't want to be disturbed for a while. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

Ichigo looks over at the corpse nervously. "You don't think..."

"No. A lowly serial killer wouldn't turn up destroying a whole city."

"Well, a seemingly harmless girl onboard a flight to Japan turned out to be a psychopath hell-bent on destroying the world." Ichigo's got me there. "Don't you think we should search for this guy?"

I roll my eyes. "I guess so-" Something clicks in my mind. That dead woman...She was one of the passengers on my flight! The one who killed her is the one who has been hunting down all the passengers!

"Are you alright?" Ichigo asks.

"Yeah." I lie. "Now let's get this son of a bitch!"

And so the demon hunt recommences. Well, we may not be looking for the demon, but I'm sure there's more than just a coincidence that this killer is lurking around at the same time as this so called demon. There has to be something extra to this.

We wander through the streets. Hopping over rooftops and searching the ground below. It's pretty hopeless. After an hour we've scoured the whole town and end up empty-handed.

"Well, we tried." Ichigo murmurs reassuringly.

"Trying is useless if you don't get anywhere!" I snap. "I can't believe this guy didn't leave a single trace! He must be one clever bastard!"

Ichigo suddenly gasps. I glance over at him and he stares at me with wide eyes.

"What if he used a senkaimon to escape?" I stare at him blankly and he curses. "The portals we shinigami create to travel between here and Soul Society! He might have used one to flee without leaving behind a trail!"

I nod slowly. "If he did...Then this demon is the same one hunting down the passengers of my flight."

Ichigo frowned. "You know what that means?"

I close my eyes and sigh. "Yeah...If we can't find him...Then he'll eventually come to me!"

The serial killer hunting down the flight passengers could be the very same person who will overthrow Soul Society! Could it be true? And what has urahara so freaked out? Find out in the next chapter!

While you wait, write a review. Come on! Do it!


	5. The Beast Appears

**The Beast Appears**

Ichigo and I both share cautious glances as my words sink in. This whole mess is becoming more and more personal. The two horrendous enemies are most likely one and the same. We now share a common enemy, one that is threat to us all, not just those on my flight.

If Roze's visions are correct, then this killing spree is merely a starter. Maybe it's a shinigami gone insane. He's methodically hunting down innocent people, gaining a taste for blood. In time he would attack shinigami and then the 'demon' will arise and destroy Soul Society. It's the only suggestion I can think of since Hollows can't use Senkaimon and from those I've faced they don't have the mental capacity to plan anything.

Still, it feels odd to suspect a shinigami. They are comrades, brothers in arms...Not sworn enemies. Why would someone go against their friends like that and bring chaos to the world? No motives come to mind. I'm stumped and I doubt anyone else could figure out a valid reason for such atrocious acts.

Ichigo rolls his eyes. It seems he's been trying to talk to me but I've had my mind elsewhere. I feel stupid and apologise before listening in for once.

"Why don't we head back for now? If this psycho is going to track you then it may just be easier if we wait for him to come to us."

"You mean just sit around twiddling my thumbs and waiting for him to sneak up behind me?" I ask sarcastically.

Surprisingly, Ichigo is serious. "We can stay nearby, keep the area guarded. As soon as he shows his face we can all sweep down and take the bastard down! If we go looking for him then we could fall into a trap. If this guy is such a menace then we need to stay together."

I want to refuse. I hate the idea of being bait. I shouldn't be going along with this, but I nod submissively. He has a point, I guess. Safety in numbers is probably our best hope of winning this fight. I might as well do as he says...I haven't got any better ideas.

Ichigo claps his hands and grins. "Right. I'll go round up as many people as possible. I'll tell them the plan and work out how to best keep watch on you without warding off our enemy. In the meantime go home and stay there. Don't leave the house for any reason and whatever you do don't hurt Rukia ever again."

I scowl at him for once again bringing up the accident. I cast it aside and nod again. "Alright, sounds good to me." I wave goodbye and set off home.

The walk gives me time to think but rather than think of the coming battle I dwell on something else. Urahara's reaction to something Roze had said. What was it that had sparked him off? He had been unperturbed by everything until she had uttered something. As soon as it came out his face paled and he became very agitated.

Now that I think about it...It might was when she mentioned the mysterious attacker having eyes like a hollow? But what is so terrifying about that? Ichigo and I both seem to have that power...Maybe Urahara disapproves of it? It is rather strange calling upon an inner hollow to defeat others of the kind. But surely that isn't as bad as he made it seem.

No, it must have been something else about it...Oh well, I can't figure it out. I'm not a shinigami detective. I know barely anything about this world even though I've been dragged into it. It's like stumbling around in a dark room.

I approach the apartment block and sigh contentedly. I've been out for so long I just want to have a lie down and relax. I pushed the front door open and suddenly feel a cold sensation, as if an icy breeze had just swept over me.

I pause momentarily and look around nervously. It must be guilt gnawing away at me like a nagging house-wife. I push it aside from my thoughts and head up the stairs. The cold feeling just keeps coming back stronger and stronger, the closer I get to my apartment. It's really starting to piss me off now.

I shudder and it seems to stop the sensation if only briefly. It is in that time that I take the door handle and twist it. The door clicks and opens, making a deafening creak in the otherwise silent apartments. I step inside and overhear running water.

"Rukia, I'm home!" I call out. My room-mate doesn't hear me, or so I assume since I get no response. I scratch my forehead and wait for a moment before repeating myself. There is a muffled response but I can't make out the words. No matter, at least she heard me that time.

I collapse on the couch and start watching TV. I try and concentrate on a news story about the string of murders but Rukia starts making an unnecessary racquet while she's in the shower. I groan and move closer to try and hear the television better but Rukia keeps making noise and it is too hard to concentrate.

"Rukia what are you doing in there? Keep the noise down!" I return my attention back to the screen. The photo of the young girl I found in the alley shows on-screen. They speak of how she is the latest to be murdered and how the authorities are still searching, yet nothing has turned up. The reporter is about to say something else but her words are drowned out by something smashing in the bathroom.

"Rukia! I said to calm down! What is wrong with you?" I turn up the volume as loud as I can but the report ends before I can and I throw the remote into the couch and switch the TV off. "Dammit!" I storm over to the bathroom door and bang on it with my fists. "Rukia what the hell are you doing in there?"

I get another muffled reply.

"What?"

Again her words are muffled. I roll my eyes and open the door. I turn my head on its side and just have my ear poking in. "What did you say?"

Her words are still muffled. It sounds as if she's trying to speak with her mouth full. Curiosity gets the better of me and I poke my entire head in, regardless of the inevitable argument that will ensue. The sheet is stretched across the shower so I can't see anything but I do notice a stain on it. There is a crimson patch near the middle and a little lower there is a streak of the same colour.

"Rukia? Are you alright? Did you fall or something?"

A cough and then an indecipherable and swift answer. I curse and slide the sheet aside expecting to face an angry and naked girl but instead Rukia is fully clothed and sitting down in the corner. There is blood in her right eye and it also soaks her cheek and clothes as well as the tiled floor. I turn off the tap and try to help Rukia get up but she crawls away and tries to scream.

"Rukia what on earth happened?"

"That is not important." Someone murmurs from outside the door. His voice is cold, emotionless. It barely sounds human. No human can sound so emotionally numb.

I freeze and slowly look over my shoulder. Someone is standing a metre or so behind me, his hands by his side, his body relaxed, his piercing green eyes settled on me. His skin is ghostly white. It is either painted on or this man really is dead.

"Who are you?"

"Ulquiorra Schiffer. I have been looking for you, Alex McMullen."

It suddenly sinks in. This monster...He is the demon we have been searching for! No wonder Roze coined the term; just looking at him makes my skin crawl. His appearance is so unnatural and his voice is even worse, robotic yet alive.

I quickly rise to my feet but then a powerful force pushes me back down on my knees. His reiatsu is truly fearsome. I can't even stand up. I try and summon my sword but he instantly appears behind me and wrenches my arm behind my back. It is impossible. When I gained shinigami powers I was able to trace their Shunpo. I was able to see them even with their super-fast movements...And yet this was completely unreadable.

"W-What are you?"

"I am a servant to Lord Aizen."

Aizen? I remember that name, but from where? I've heard him mentioned before by the shinigami but no-one ever explained to me the history behind him. Everyone seems rather tight-lipped about this man, as if his very name was a curse upon Soul Society. I see now why they never dared mention him. If someone this strong is merely a servant to this Aizen then we are all in serious trouble.

"Lord Aizen is interested in you, not because of your strength, but rather your weakness." The pallid creature murmurs disinterestedly. He doesn't even look at me. It's an insult to be so overlooked but rather than let my temper flare I'd rather keep my head for now. Still this is rather confusing.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask.

"You are merely trash. A pitiful worm that will be crushed underfoot, but that only makes it easier to manipulate you. That is why he seeks you." Ulquiorra's words are not only demoralizing but they pretty much shatter what is left of my desire to fight.

"What are you talking about? What does he want from me?"

"I do not know. You can ask him yourself." Ulquiorra clicks his fingers and the air behind him suddenly tears apart like a sheet that's been slashed with a knife. It is the same thing hollows use to travel between worlds, a garganta.

I stare at it with wide eyes. Any second now I'm sure hundreds of hollows will spill out into this tiny room and destroy everything in sight, whether it be alive or not. When no inhuman flood breaks out I sigh in relief but I immediately bite my tongue knowing full well that hollows are nothing compared to these enemies.

"You are relieved. Do you feel confident now that Aizen is not after your life?"

I hadn't even thought of that but it does make me feel a little safer. I can survive a brainwashing; I've been to churches before. He'll probably just dangle a coin in front of my face and tell me I'm very sleepy and then I'll wake up back here as if nothing ever happened. Well, at least that's what I'm hoping...

Ulquiorra is getting impatient though it does not show in his face or his monotonous way of speaking. "Hurry up." He says blankly with all the enthusiasm of a plank of wood. He grabs me by the collar and drags me into the large portal and then let's go, allowing me to find my own feet.

"As soon as we step inside we enter a huge black void. There is nothing here, well at least for a second or two. Ulquiorra closes his eyes and suddenly a glistening path lights up in front of us. I almost want to clap at the incredible feat but then I remember now is not the time to be impressed. This is my enemy. If anything this power should scare me.

"Get moving." Ulquiorra pushes me forward and I stumble a few steps before regaining my balance. I walk over to the edge of the path and stare down into the expansive emptiness below. There is something strangely fascinating about it but I have no time to wonder as Ulquiorra prods me forward.

I edge along the path and eventually we reach the end of the portal. The exit is another jagged wound in the air. It makes an odd rumbling sound while it is open. It sounds like hundreds of thunder storms compressed into one extended, beastly roar.

I pass through into a large room. It is about the size of a shopping centre except without any furniture at all, excluding a throne at the top of an almost endless staircase. It is so far away I can only just notice something perched on the dull green stone carved into a seat.

The floor I stand on is the same colour; in fact the entire room is made of the dark green stone. I am on the lowest floor and it is empty aside from me and Ulquiorra. There is a second floor above us which is a square balcony running around the edge of the walls except for the wall with the stairs.

"What is this place?" My voice echoes in the silent room.

"This is my throne room." A great booming voice answers my question. The man sitting on the throne stands up. It was him who spoke, yet his voice carried so far it sounded like he was right next to him. And how could he have heard me? I only whispered it to Ulquiorra.

In the blink of an eye someone is standing before me. I never even saw him approach me. I glance up at the tiny throne and find it empty. This man descended the massive staircase in a fraction of a second. Impossible!

"Welcome to my palace Alex. This is Las Noches." The man has wild brown hair and wears a white coat much like a captain, only rather than a black shihakusho it is a white one. He looks like an innocent person but there is an underlying menace that makes me shudder. This must be Aizen.

"I am Sosuke Aizen. I am sure you have heard of me?"

I stare blankly at him. "Well...Actually..." I look away. Eye contact with this man is physically painful and it feels like millions of tiny needles are sticking into my brain, draining me of life. I gaze down at my feet instead and begin panting as if I've been on a marathon.

"Hmm, that is understandable. Those fools are terrified of my existence. For you see, I have the power to destroy the heavens and remould them to my design. I have the power to become a god and as a god I will be granted the power to crush anyone and anything that opposes me, let's say...Soul Society for example." He chuckles after this and I feel sick.

I drop to my knees and grasp my stomach. I feel as if I'm about to throw up but it never happens. I wouldn't dare vomit at this man's feet, the consequences would be disastrous. "H-How?" I groan.

"I am sure Kisuke Urahara neglected telling you about the Hogyoku? Essentially, it can break down the barrier between hollows and shinigami, thus creating the ultimate warriors.

I look over the fact that my power is much the same. I doubt it would be helpful to mention it. With all he has said all doubt is gone. Aizen is the demon Roze foretold destroying Soul Society. I can feel it. The power emanating from this man is immense. If he focused just a little more he would kill me with his reiatsu alone.

I'm breaking out in a cold sweat but my arms are too weak to wipe it away. I can't even remain upright anymore and I collapse onto my stomach, lying face down. Aizen chuckles again and claps his hands.

I am lifted up by two women in nurse's outfits. For a moment I think I'm back home but then I see that their faces are concealed by horrifying bone masks. I want to scream but my body has pretty much given up on everything except breathing and even that is sluggish.

Aizen approaches me again and placed a hand on my shoulder. It feels as if he's sucking the life out of me just through this simple contact. My head rolls back and one of the nurses raises it back up again, holding it up for me.

"Now Alex...You understand the extent of my strength now don't you?" I do but I can't nod even if I wanted to. "I could easily just kill you right now, but that is not very fair is it?" His smile becomes a horrifying monstrosity. A vile imitation of the expression of happiness. "So why don't I let you go?"

My head falls forward in a dazed nod but it doesn't come back up. Aizen claps his hands together and makes the sound of thunder. I would have flinched and shit bricks if I wasn't feeling like a cancer patient on their deathbed.

"Wonderful. I shall grant you freedom, but all I ask is that you deliver a message to Soul Society for me." He begins to laugh manically but I pass out long before he stops.

Sorry for the wait but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!


	6. Shoot the Messenger

It's been way too long since the last update. I know it's a pain in the ass having to wait so long for chapters, but thanks for bearing with me all this time. Please enjoy and don't forget to review!

**Shoot The Messenger**

_Alex! Alex! Alex! Alex!_

My left eye opens halfway and I see a blurry image of someone standing over me. I try to open the other one but it stings terribly and it feels as if there is something stuck in my eye. Just the thought of it startles me awake, well partially...

I can't raise my head but I turn to my side and notice I'm in a large courtyard. The ground beneath me is wet and it smells awful. There are several people gathered around me. They are all shinigami.

One is an assistant captain judging from the badge on her sleeve. I recognise her from the war not long ago. She is kneeling beside me, her hands held out in front of her and glowing with green light.

There is someone standing behind her. It is a captain and he too is familiar. Captain Ukitake was Rukia's superior if I remember correctly.

The third person is kneeling opposite the healer. I try to crane my neck but waves of pain rush through my muscles and I stop trying. It hurts to blink as one of my eyes seems to be damaged. I can't see out of it, rather it is just a splotch of colour, mostly red.

"Please do not move. The fall has broken some of your bones and your facial structure has been damaged. I am trying as hard as I can but I don't think I can fully fix this." The healer explains methodically, just like a real doctor, the obligatory mention of disappointment. They never say they can fix it fully...Not when it's serious...

Her words have more of an effect on the third person, the one I can't see, merely hear them. It hurts too much to think about recognising the voice and I can't ask her to move closer because my throat feels parched.

It seems they can sense my confusion and so Ukitake explains. "A patrol unit saw you fall out of the sky. You didn't land properly as you were unconscious before you even hit the ground. Fourth squad was contacted immediately, as was I since my quarters are closest. Since I recognised you I contacted Rukia immediately."

I want to nod but the pain was too much last time and I don't want the pain getting worse. One hand rises lazily and I bring it towards my face. My sore eye is incredibly itchy and I just can't hold it off much longer. The third person grips my wayward hand and holds it above my face.

"Alex, you mustn't. Please stay still." She sounds as if she's going to be sick. I still can't place a name to the voice but judging from what Ukitake said it must be Rukia. I trust her words and lay my hand by my side. All I have to do is focus on something else and the itch should go away. I stare at the healer.

It's rather odd that even during the war I never asked her name and it feels strange to be once again in the care of a complete stranger. At least at hospitals the doctors sometimes have name-tags or at least introduce themselves to you. This girl is as much a stranger as the person who threw me out of the sky.

The girl notices my inquisitive stare and she looks away. She must be shy, but no matter. I'll find out her name at some point. The way my life goes I'll probably need saving once again in the future. But seriously, who would do this to me? I have to remember something don't I? Surely I can piece together something out of my last moments of consciousness? But the more I dwell on it the more I realise I can't remember anything about what happened before...Well I don't know that either. Last I can recall I went home and then everything is a blank...

"Who did this to you?" Ukitake demands, his voice harsh and urgent.

"I...D-Don't...K-K-K" For some reason I can't make out the sound I want. I can't speak properly. How hard did I fall? What one Earth happened?

"That is unfortunate...Because we discovered this with you." Ukitake held out an envelope. "It is addressed to the Captain Commander, but there is no indication of who it's from. If you don't even know...And considering the manner in which you arrived it is rather suspicious."

"Maybe we shouldn't open it." The healer says fearfully.

Rukia says nothing; in fact she's been completely silent ever since she stopped me from picking my eye. Which reminds me, what is wrong with my eye? Since I can't grasp speech I point to my sore eye and the assistant captain takes the responsibility of answering.

"You fell awkwardly. You received severe head trauma. Your eye is...Badly damaged. I will try my best to fix it for you but even my powers are limited." She looks away and says sorry.

I blink, only making my bad eye hurt even more. The pain makes me squeeze my eyes shut but that just makes things worse.

"Perhaps we should contact Inoue Orihime. Her abilities are more suited to this task than you are Isane."

Hmm, I know her name now. Isane. That'll be useful next time I fall out of the sky like a shooting star. I store that in my mental encyclopaedia and then try to get some rest. I can't move or speak so I might as well get some sleep until I'm mobile again.

* * *

My dreams are rather odd in that no matter what happens there is always a deep commanding voice ordering me to deliver the message...Whatever that means. I try to ignore it and push it to the back of my mind but the more I resist the louder the voice gets and the more compelled I am to do as he says.

I wake up and find myself in the infirmary. Isane is no longer working over me and instead I am being tended to by Orihime. She looks tense so I make a note not to disturb her. She is so focused on my injuries that she doesn't realise I am staring at her.

I close my eyes again and listen to the gentle hum of her Shun Shun Rikka as they reject the damage my body took from the fall. I still don't understand how the strange little fairies are able to do such incredible things.

"You're awake." Orihime whispers.

I open my good eye and frown. "How did you know?"

"I can sense it." Orihime explains. "Plus your eyes opened." She giggles briefly before returning to work.

"How bad is it?" I ask.

She sighs and wipes her forehead. "I've been here for a few hours now so it's not as bad as it used to be. You should be able to open your eyes now but it may hurt a little bit."

I do as she says and yes indeed it does hurt to pry the eyelids open. I can't see clearly out of this eye but the job is not yet done so that is understandable. I close it again and keep it closed. "Does anyone know what happened?"

She shakes her head. "All they said was you fell out of the sky and that you would have died had you not dropped near a patrol unit and been discovered so quickly. Fourth squad worked hard to keep you alive but they couldn't reverse the damage from the fall so I was sent here to finish patching you up."

"Thanks..."

"Don't mention it. We're friends aren't we? We have to look out for each other."

"Where is the letter?" Orihime stares at me as if I've said something wrong. I sigh and explain it to her. "I had a letter with me when they found me. Where is it?"

"Captain Ukitake took it I think." Orihime mutters to herself. "He said he would give it to the Captain Commander and let him decide what to do with it."

For some reason I'm angry. Some part of me is enraged that I did not deliver the message. Speaking of which what the hell is that all about anyway? Who is that voice in my head? What is so important about this message and why was I thrown from the clouds like a sky-diver without a parachute?

Whatever it all means there's something wrong about it all. In a way it must have something to do with the demon that Roze prophesised would destroy Soul Society and bring about the apocalypse. Maybe it's for the best if someone else delivers it.

Orihime works silently for so long that I start counting the seconds. I eventually stop when it passes the hour mark. My eye still hurts terribly but the splotches of colour are starting to fade and instead my vision has been reduced to blurred images, as if I'm looking through a dirty camera lens.

Orihime finally speaks, but her voice is quiet, nervous. "Such horrible injuries. Someone really wanted you to die..."

My body works of its own accord and I find myself staring right at her as words that are not my own flood from my mouth. "If I died I wouldn't have been able to deliver the message."

Orihime stops healing me. Her eyes narrow and she frowns. This isn't a good sign. "What do you know about this message? Who gave it to you? What is it?"

I sigh. "I don't know. I can't remember anything about what happened. All I know is that message is important and I have to deliver it. We need to find Ukitake."

"But wait! Your eye-"

I sit up straight and lay a hand on her shoulder. "It can wait. I'll be right back and you can finish healing my eye, ok?" I stand and suddenly feel compelled to walk away. It's as if I am guided by someone else, like a puppet-master tugging on my strings and making me walk.

Orihime tries to block the way but I just barge past her. She trails along behind me begging me to stop but my body won't allow me to respond. My mind is locked away within a shell, a shell that is operated by someone else. My legs keep moving even when I will them to stop, but then again my mind isn't working alone either. I try to think of something else, but the voice keeps coming back, telling me to deliver this stupid bloody message!

It's not long before I realise I don't know where I am going. Orihime doesn't either; she just runs along beside me still begging me to stop moving around and let her finish healing my eye. Normally I would agree with her, lie down and enjoy warmth and soothing hum created by those little fairies...But right now an unknown voice within my subconscious tells me to keep going, regardless. It's not like I have much choice in the matter anyway so I take a back seat in my own mind and let this puppet master do what he needs. Besides, once he's delivered that message he should leave me alone...Right?

Well whatever, I'm curious about this message so either way I think it's best if I find Captain Ukitake. My legs propel me towards a large gate with the number one engraved in the thick timbers. The guards try to block my path and my hands start to move towards my sword. I stop myself, barely, and stand awkwardly. I frown at them and set my broken gaze upon them. "Please let me through. I must see the Captain Commander."

One of the guards stares at my eye and then back to his comrade. They both shrug and step aside, allowing me through. Maybe it scares them, or maybe they think a wounded person won't pose a threat to their commander. Orihime bows in thanks and then jogs along beside me as we push further into first squad territory. My out of body experience takes me to the main hall where a captain's meeting is being held. My leg spasms uncontrollably and kicks the door open.

Many pairs of eyes settle upon me, gazing with curiosity and anger, but I force my way in and stand in the middle of the room. The captains all stare at me. If I'm the centre of attention then they must have been talking about the message. I turn to Ukitake who stands closest to the Captain Commander and he addresses me with a serious tone.

"Alex...What are you doing here? This is a captain's meeting."

"I know," I explain, my tongue flapping of its own accord. "But I need to deliver the message."

That scares them slightly. I can see out of the corner of my eye as some of the captain's shift uncomfortably or their eyes widen or they stifle gasps of shock. I try to ignore it, which is slightly easier with someone else controlling me. I look to Ukitake still, now holding out my hand expectantly. "The message." I state simply.

The captain bows his head and frowns. "This is none of your concern. Please leave."

"No."

"Now is not the time for games. This is a matter for the captains and not you. Please understand. You must leave now."

"No." I m compelled to say again. Orihime tugs on my sleeve and whispers for me to leave but I can't help but stand my ground. The puppet master is desperate for me to see this through. "Have you read the message?" I ask, this time as much my own body as the mysterious controller.

Ukitake averts his gaze. "No...We decided it would be best if we-"

"The message is vital. If you shall not read it, then I shall do so myself."

"Silence!" The captain commander growls.

I look up to him and my face is contorted into a calm smile. "I shall tell you this: Be warned warriors of Soul Society...War is drawing nearer. Aizen Sosuke shall bring your pitiful army to its knees and end your worthless existence." At the end I suddenly snap out of my weird trance and fall backwards as if I was just slapped. I look around at the shocked expressions and frown. "What? What happened?"

They don't answer. That ain't good...


	7. Death Threat

**Death Threat**

Sorry updates are so slow, but bear with me. Now enjoy and review!

Some weird things have happened to me lately. The details aren't exactly clear either but I can comprehend the fact that people stare at me like I'm a lunatic or a creep. I keep feeling like I'm being controlled, as if I'm sharing my body with someone else. It's rather confusing trying to keep track of what I want to say and whatever actually spills out of my mouth. I haven't said anything in a while, but then again no-one has. They've all been too busy staring at me.

Self-consciousness isn't the best thing in the world and it sure makes you feel bad when you have a dozen or so people interrogating you with their eyes. I'm not even sure why they are so tense. I never said anything...I think... Maybe it was the other guy? Either way it's put the captains of the thirteen court guards on edge (Or maybe they're all just constipated? But I highly doubt that!)

"Alex...What did you just say?" It was Ukitake, his face twisted in a focused frown.

"Me? I-I didn't do anything! Why are you looking at me like that?" They don't respond. It becomes very unnerving very quickly and I become too agitated for the situation to allow. "Hey! Stop it! I told you I didn't do anything!"

"Hmm...It seems the boy is trying to hide...Maybe I should administer a little something to calm him down?" Mayuri's smile is always unsettling but just then I realised how off-putting and down-right terrifying he really was. I can't help but back away, but that seems to only raise the level of suspicion even higher. In fact even Orihime has backed up against the wall while just a few seconds ago she was right beside me. Are they really that frightened? What the hell did I say?

Ukitake raises a hand and sighs, "There will be no need for that captain Kurotsuchi. But I am rather disturbed by these recent events. I think we should keep an eye on him for now. He may very well be oblivious to his own words like he says or maybe he is hiding something from us. Either way, I think it is clear who is behind all this!"

The other captains nod gravely. Some look really pissed, and I'm not talking about getting held up on a highway during rush hour pissed, or even bumping into a toe bar pissed. This is full-on, "I'm going to kill you!" pissed. It's bad enough that he's a giant fox but that snarl makes me feel uneasy. If I don't make it out of here then I think I'll end up as dog food...

"Very well," The captain commander states boldly without even batting an eyelid, "We shall keep Alex in protective captivity while we deliberate our next move."

"What?" I blurt out hysterically, "You can't be serious?"

"Silence!" The old man snaps. I shut up instantly; even the puppet master won't risk it. "If Sosuke Aizen is involved in this matter then we must be extremely cautious. He is not one to be under-estimated. If he is truly Hell-bent on waging war against us then we shall mobilise our forces and prepare for his attack. I want you all to be on full alert from now on, and I hereby authorize all captain class officers to carry their zanpakuto at all times."

Uh-oh...This is serious. Full alert? War? Roze's prophecy really is going to come true! bad! This is really bad and I don't even know why! Who the hell is Sosuke Aizen? Wait...Oh god...Oh god no! I remember now! I remember that man! The man whose very presence brought me to my knees and brought me closer to death than I had ever felt before...The demon, Aizen...

"A-Aizen..." I whimper. It feels like the other half doesn't want me to talk so it takes much effort just to spit out the name. As I do so the others focus on me again. "I...I saw him..." I whisper softly. Only those closest to me can hear it, those further away just look around confused.

"What?" The Captain Commander almost has a stroke.

I fall to my knees, the oppressor trying to stop me. I fight it as best I can and cry out, "I saw Aizen!" I drop onto my stomach and it feels like a giant is standing on me, desperately trying to crush me into the ground like an annoying little ant. "He...He told me...He would destroy Soul Society...A Message..." I can't speak much now. Every word I speak is like regurgitating broken glass. Tears are streaming from my eyes and each and every muscle tenses up.

"Alex! Alex!" I can't recognise their voices; it is all just a mess of broken sounds.

I can't hear much. I can't breathe...I...I...

* * *

The infirmary is cold. I shiver uncontrollably but someone drapes another blanket over me. It's dark. I wouldn't be able to recognise the person but thankfully her gentle voice is familiar. It's Rukia. She must have been told about what happened...I wouldn't mind if she explained, I can't make out much other than mysteriously passing out because I was trying to speak.

"Alex...I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I couldn't warn you...Couldn't stop him..." I assume she's talking about Ulquiorra's unwelcome arrival in our apartment. I don't blame her. I don't think many people would stand a chance against him, even a captain would surely struggle to defeat him.

I would reach out to comfort her but my arms feel like dead weights. I just smile weakly and reassure her, "It's not your fault..."

She smiles back, but it's an insecure smile. She doesn't believe it. She feels guilty about everything that has happened, but I bear no ill will towards her. It couldn't have been helped.

"They say you collapsed. There was something wrong but they couldn't make out what exactly was happening. They sent you here to rest and asked me to watch over you." She pats my shoulder and frowns. I hate seeing her sad but there isn't much I can do. "Alex...What did they do to you?"

I try to answer but my throat becomes parched and my words come out as a scrambled cough. Rukia hands me a glass of water and I down it all in one go. It doesn't help that much but at least the sandpapery feeling in the back of my throat subsides a little.

"Aizen...He is a terrible man..." Rukia whispers harshly, her eyes blazing. She must have met him before...But she never told me. Come to think of it, no-one told me anything about him. But from the way people react when his name is dropped I think it's fair to say that he trod on quite a few toes on his way out of Soul Society.

"Rukia...Aizen...Who is he?" My sentence sounds like it was constructed by a mentally deficient toddler but Rukia understands.

She straightens up as if my question were an injection in her spine. A deep sigh escapes her and Rukia sets her gaze upon me. "Aizen was a former captain. He commanded squad five for many years and in that time no-one ever suspected anything wrong with him. Of course Aizen had been plotting against us all from the moment he joined the ranks of the shinigami. He was a master at lies and he used hypnotic powers to delude us into thinking he was a close ally. In the end he betrayed us all and...And..." she stops and grabs her chest. She trails off and doesn't return to her tale until I prompt her gently with a forced cough. "Aizen attacked me. He attacked everyone close to me, even Ichigo. Everyone suffered by his hand. We tried to stop him but he was too strong. And now, with the Hogyoku he is even stronger..."

"Hogyoku?" I ask. I swear, I need someone to write me a dictionary at some point because this occurs far too often. Maybe Rukia can do it for me, it could be a birthday present (If we live that long, of course...)

"Urahara first created it to break down the bridge between shinigami and hollows."

That's an eye-opener. It sounds far too familiar, and yet still I've never heard of this Hogyoku thingy before. Is that why I could use hollow powers?

"That was what they thought it was for...But it turned out to be different. The Hogyoku was designed to grant the beholder's dreams. Urahara was hoping to create a device to break down that barrier and so the Hogyoku granted his wish and did so. But Aizen had researched it and realised its true potential and that was why he tried to steal it. Urahara grew wary of Aizen's plan and so he tried to hide the Hogyoku somewhere it would never be found..."

"Where?" I inquire. Rukia doesn't speak, she merely grasps her heart again, but the gesture is easily understood. "What? How? That's impossible!"

"He sealed it away inside my body. To this day he never told me how...But that's not important anymore. Aizen found out about the sealed Hogyoku and had me hunted down. He tricked the captains into thinking I had been ordered to be executed and so I was taken from the World of the Living and brought to Seireitei. Aizen continued using everyone until he could get close enough to retrieve the Hogyoku from me."

Rukia made an odd face, a violated frown. She looked on the verge of tears, but she managed to fight them back. "He told us he would stand atop the heavens...He wants to destroy Soul Society...And with the Hogyoku he might just be able to do it."

"No! That's crazy! We can stop him surely-"

"You know we are both useless against Aizen. Even the captains were unable to defeat him. And now he has minions...He must have used the Hogyoku to create them. That warrior was far too powerful to be a mere hollow or a shinigami." Rukia sighs and looked down at her feet. "I'm probably annoying you right? Being so pessimistic?"

I want to make her feel better, but the puppet master suddenly tugs on the strings and my voice operates of its own accord, "No, it's good you are accepting defeat. It makes it easier for us!"

"What? Alex what are you-" My hand snakes out and my fingers unwittingly wrap around her neck. Her cheeks go red and her eyes go wide. She wants to scream but her airways are blocked. I cry out in panic but I can't stop it. My other hand reaches for the sword at her waist and she feebly tries to swat it away. I just clench tighter around her throat and shake her like a rag-doll. She becomes quite still and I involuntarily snatch her sword. I stare at the blade and then point it towards her chest. I try with all of my strength to refuse the puppet master's orders but it doesn't work. I might as well be trying to stop a bullet train with my mind.

"Rukia..." I groan, forcing my own words to rise to the surface. "Forgive...Me..."

The blade sinks into her. I feel it resists as it comes into contact with bone. There is slight jerk as it grinds its way through and digs deeper into her body. Rukia gags and blood pools in her mouth, dripping out from the corners. Her eyes are wide but unfocused, the pupils becoming hazy. I pray for the shaking to stop. I know it won't work. Since when has praying worked? But still I'm running out of options and I'm desperate. _That _desperate!

Rukia makes horrible noises. It sounds like a clogged drain trying to swallow a sink-full of water, making unsettling wet gurgling noises as she chokes on her own blood.

_Rukia...It's my fault...I can't stop it...I can't...I can't..._

We're both crying. I want to apologize, help her, save her...But I'm as useless as ever...I'm a worthless excuse for a shinigami. I couldn't help anyone, not even myself...

Her blood pours from the wound onto my hand and I feel the warm fluid spilling all over me. The sensation is so wrong that it makes me sick, but my body won't stop until she is dead. My knees won't stop trembling and yet I'm standing as rigid as a corpse. I'm practically a zombie anyway, my body moving while my brain takes a back seat...But it's the back seat of a P-plater's car, so no doubt people will die in the process.

"A...A...A..." She's trying to say my name but all its doing is hurting her more. I tell her to be quiet, be still. Maybe if she played dead the puppet master would let us go? But the manipulative bastard hasn't played by the rules yet so I don't think it's worth hoping...

"I'm sorry..." I manage to croak. I can barely see through the cloudy fog of tears. They sting like hell but I can't blink. I can only just see a blurred shadow falling over me and in that moment my head spins around so fast that it practically gives me whiplash.

Something hits me hard, really hard, like a runaway truck on the steepest of hills. I'm not in control at all yet I feel the agonising pain all the same. My body snaps up to its feet and still the grievously wounded soul reaper is in my hands. I throw her aside and Rukia hits the wall with a sickeningly wet slap. I unwantedly turn on my assailant, armed with only my bloodied bare hands.

I don't see who it is; they move with such speed that it would be impossible to follow it with my eyes. I'm hit again from behind, their blade biting into my shoulder. Whoever did it then wrenches it out and lashes out again, hacking down at me. I'm quite sure that I would have been sliced clean in half from head toe if I hadn't moved then. I manage to escape the worst of it, but the blade still catches on the back of my head, cutting through the skin but not that deeply. Nonetheless, it stings terribly and for a moment the puppet master loses control and I just collapse.

The ground is harder than it looks. It hurts. I can suddenly move of my own accord now, but the puppet master still tries to rein control again. It seems his influence weakened from that last blow. I don't know how, but I'm glad to be in control again.

Unfortunately, the other guy doesn't care much about who is in charge of my motor skills. They are far too interested in turning me into mincemeat.

A sword sails past my ear and I cry out in alarm. A white coat floats past and for a moment I am blinded as the sheet encircles me. The white veil hides the warriors behind it and the sword pierces through and cuts into my collar bone.

I can't cry out or scream, my voice dies in my throat. I see my own terrified expression in the shining steel blade and then everything starts becoming blurry. Big black splotches appear all over the place as if someone was spilling ink on a camera lens. It spreads, covers everything.

My sight fails me and my head rolls back, hitting the floor hard once again. I anticipate a finishing blow, one last cut to finish off my brief existence. Instead I'm assaulted by the deafening, thunderous clash of swords.

"Stop!" someone roars.

"Move aside. This is none of your concern." The other person replies calmly. Rather odd considering how hasty they were in their attempt to carve me up. Still, none of that matter now...I'm getting really tired. Rather than count sheep, I count the painful, sporadic beats of my heart until I pass out.

My only hope is that when I wake up I'll realise it was all a dream and that Rukia is fine, I'm fine, no-one is out to kill me and this whole prophecy thing was just a bad joke to begin with...


	8. Cut the Strings

**Cut The Strings**

I wake up in the now familiar infirmary. It seems all I'm good for now is getting hurt and clogging up their precious beds. I'm just an irritating burden to these people...

It's dark in the room so I guess its night time. Hazy memories flood back to me, but one thing is burned into my eyes, clearer than the surface of a lake. That is Rukia's terrified expression, the look of shock and fear and betrayal that was suddenly etched upon her features as I mercilessly attacked her. Just thinking about it makes me feel sick.

How could I have done such a thing? Sure I'm possessed or drugged or under a spell or whatever the hell Aizen has done to me...But I should have been able to fight it. I should have been able to resist against such a sickening and monstrous order...Right?

I'm disgusted in myself, but I'm angrier at the cowardly puppet-master who has been toying with me and everyone within Soul Society. If only they would show their face I would tear them apart and make them suffer for what they have done to me!

"Over-confidence will only bring about your downfall."

Ok, what the hell was that? Someone just spoke, but I see no-one in the darkness. Not even a shadow! But I know I heard that voice! It was calm, yet menacing at the same time. A chill runs down my spine. Something makes me want to cry out for help but I doubt anyone will really come to my aid, not after what I've done – No! What I've been forced to do! I had no choice in the matter, but if I had I damn well would have kicked the puppet master's ass that's for sure!

"You think you can stop me? A humorous proposition. I am your master now. Your body obeys my command."

"Where are you?" I cry, spinning around to scan the entire room.

"Where am I indeed. Perhaps I am outside? Perhaps I am hiding in here? Perhaps I am...Behind you"

Instinctually I whirl around frantically and almost lose my footing and trip. I curse my foolishness especially when the mysterious stranger laughs a dry searing chuckle.

"So foolish. Well you will be pleased to know that Lord Aizen no longer wishes to have you under control. Your part has been played well."

"So you're done with me?" I ask.

"In a sense, yes. You are no longer necessary in the following stages of the plan. But," the stranger pauses for a moment before continuing, "This means you no longer need to live. A puppet without its master to pull his strings has no purpose and so he must be discarded of properly. I'm sure you understand this. So please, lay back and die!"

Something hits me from behind, so hard that it knocks me across the room and into the wall. My already injured body slams against the wall with such force that a spider-web of splinters and cracks spreads out from the site of impact.

I groan pitifully as I drag myself onto my hands and knees, only to be kicked onto my back again. I glance around frantically, but I can't see anything, even when the bastard is booting me in the ribs! Where is he? What is he? Why can't I see him?

"Do not resist. Allow me to make this quick."

I get the feeling that a sword is being drawn. I can't even see a glint of steel in the weak light, but experience makes me roll away. My fears are confirmed when the floor where my head once rested becomes a crater.

I crawl to my feet and desperately run for the door but after only a few steps I feel a sudden burning pain in my chest. I'm bleeding and quite badly too. I must have opened a wound or-

"Argh!" My body crumples to the floor as a sensation like a knife being twisted in my guts hits me with extreme force. I try to reach up and grab at the invisible hand that must be holding the weapon, but the puppet master tugs at the strings and places my arms rigid by my side and keeps them there. He then coaxes my body forward, deeper into the blade held out in front of me. The splattered fluids from my wounds make a vague outline of a sword and soon I can see a hand. It would be an advantage if I could move, but I'm stuck here, a sitting duck.

This must be it then. I'm going to die before I get to apologise to Rukia...That just makes the pain worse.

"This is the end shinigami child." the creep laughs in his unsettling way again.

One of my eyes closes but the other stays half open, just enough to see my blood gushing out all over myself and the hidden killer. My blood is warm but my body feels cold, really cold. I cough violently and my head rolls forward, but my body is kept in place by the blade which skewers me like a piece of meat on a kebab.

Just when I think it's over I start hallucinating. I start seeing flower petals. How stupid! Why am I fantasizing about god damn flowers at a time like this?

"Scatter, Senbonzakura!" A familiar voice slices through the empty room and suddenly the enemy becomes visible, a transparent form covered in lacerations. He curses and leaps to the other end of the room, leaving his sword stuck in me. Without his control, I flop backward and hit the floor hard enough to send waves of searing pain throughout my brain. I scrunch my face up and grit my teeth, letting out a grunt of pain while sounds of battle unfold around me.

"So my suspicions were correct." Byakuya murmurs, "You hid your reiatsu and even your appearance so that you could follow Alex. I do not know how you managed to pull that off, but that is none of my concern. I am here to destroy the one who has brought harm to someone precious to me."

Don't tell me Byakuya's got a man-crush on me! I mean I'm flattered but no thanks!

As if he read my thoughts, Byakuya shoots me a fierce glare, one that says, "You fucking idiot!" Oh that's right! Rukia is his sister! That was who he meant. But now I'm not only in pain, I feel so incredibly stupid I kind of wish I could just curl up and die...

"The other Kuchiki girl? A necessary sacrifice for the success of our plan. I suppose she is on her death-bed right now?"

Byakuya scowls, but his expression has barely changed from before. He always scowls. But that's not the point. He looked angrier. "You really think that a proud shinigami would fall to your cowardly trickery? You are as deluded as that fool Aizen,"

"Fool? Deluded? Ironic words to be spoken by a shinigami-"

"Enough." Byakuya interrupts drawing his sword. "I am sick of your very existence arrancar. I shall end this quickly."

"Is that so?" the stranger speaks mockingly.

Byakuya seems to be struck by something and his left leg begins trembling, slowly edging forward as if he is unsure of himself. But that is not the case. Byakuya is as surprised as I am at his leg's sudden jerking movements and he quickly glares up at his foe who has begun to laugh louder.

"Your leg is under my control now shinigami! Nothing can withstand my power, Amore! I will bring you under my control and you shall do the hard work for me! Ha ha ha!"

Byakuya doesn't even blink as he drives his sword through his thigh. He smiles thinly at his invisible foe and points his bloodied blade to him. "Your wicked spell is undone. How childish of you to think that such a cheap trick would-" Byakuya's sword arm suddenly drops. His eyes narrow and he hastily snatches the sword out of his own grasp just as his wild hand clasp around his own throat. He hacks away at his upper arm and lets it flop down by his side limply.

The assailant laughs maniacally and claps. "Well done shinigami! You have severed the nerves to cancel out my Amore, but do you think that will work forever? You will just end up cutting yourself into tiny pieces for me!"

Byakuya sighs and bows his head, "No, I am done with you now. Scatter-"

"Ha! You think that will work twice on me? I can just take control of all of those little blades and turn them against you!" the assailant's confidence does not seem to disturb Byakuya however. In fact it makes him smile (Well sort of...)

"All of them? Let's see you try it then. Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Byakuya's single working arm shoots forward as he utters a single devastating word, "Bankai..."

The puppet master throws his hands forward and lets out a cry of rage. It seems he's trying to curb the oncoming flood of blades, but he isn't fast enough and he is swept up like a boat in a tsunami. A final scream echoes out from his transparent body before it is drowned out by the thunderous roar from the swirling mass of blades.

When they at last subside a dismembered corpse is left. A man with dark skin and unusual wide eyes lies on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He wears the same white uniform that Ulquiorra and Aizen wore. Also, he wore a little bracelet on his wrist. It's been sliced up by Byakuya's bankia but it is still slightly recognisable. The triumphant captain snatches it up and then departs without a word.

Moment's later fourth squad arrives.

* * *

It's been a few days since that arrancar was killed before my very eyes. I'm not even sure what an arrancar is, but I know they work for Aizen and that they are extremely dangerous. The other squads seem to be in frenzy now. I guess they are afraid that there are more arrancar lurking within Soul Society.

I have been locked away in a cell for what they told me was for my own safety. I highly doubt that however. I'm sure it is more likely so that they can watch me. They aren't sure if I'm free yet and they don't want me going on a rampage again.

It's mind-numbingly boring in here. The only activity I actually manage to participate in is idle conversation with a young fourth squad recruit who re-applies my bandages once or twice a day. No captains come to see me, my friends aren't visiting either...And I still haven't seen Rukia. I need to apologise and make it up to her for what happened.

And so I lounge about on the hardened, stony mattress and await the moment for my release. I try to utilise this time to remember exactly what happened when I was sent to Aizen's palace. Aside from his deceptively tranquil appearance and the feeling of being crushed by his presence, I can't recall anything further. He smiled at me and then that was the point where I blacked out. Next I knew it I was in Soul Society, being scraped from the courtyard grounds.

"Alex," A demanding, authoritive tone alerts me and I spin around to face Ukitake. His expression is grave and I can't help but be afraid of bad news. I mean if it was good he wouldn't be frowning like that would he?

"Yes?"

"We've received word from twelfth squad. They analysed the body as well as the items it carried."

"And?"

"Well, we've confirmed that you were indeed under this arrancar's spell. We were wrong to suspect you. Also, the bracelet on his arm...Captain Kurotsuchi has analysed it thoroughly and he suspects it to be a sort of cloaking device."

"So that was why no-one could sense him or see him?" I ask.

He nods. "Precisely. He wore it so that he could track you all the way here and make suitable commands. In fact it is most likely that he was here with you the moment we found you. Ever since he had not left your side."

"So can I get out of here now?" I inquire. He regards my question but he seems distracted. Ukitake makes a face and looks away.

"We received another message."

"Huh?"

Ukitake stares straight at me, his gaze boring through me. "Aizen sent another message."

I can't resist wincing, "How bad is it?"

Ukitake's expression was dead serious. His voice flat-lined as he uttered the fated words that had been on his mind.

"Karakura shall be our battlefield. Winter shall be your time. I will be your death."

We both fall silent. Winter is not far off. Soul Society is in an uproar over such a blatant security breech and the mobilisation has been hindered by the set-backs. Soul Society is not ready for the coming battle. None of us are...Except Aizen...

And worse still, Karakura is deemed to be the fated grounds of this bitter war. Many innocent people will be killed no doubt, caught up in the bloodshed. That is a definite problem.

"Is there anything we can do?" I ask in a trembling voice.

Ukitake sets his gaze upon me and sighs. "No, there is nothing we can do. Aizen will meet us at the break of winter in Karakura town. Our Captain Commander has already made his plans for the battle and he demanded everyone be present."

"But surely we could strike first? We could bring the fight to Aizen and launch a surprise attack!"

Ukitake shakes his head, "I'm sorry Alex. It has already been decided. I suggest you begin training for the battle ahead. That is all." He turns away and walks off, leaving me sitting in the dark alone. The cell is open but I don't feel like walking out. I just sit there, head in my hands and curse. Curse my weakness, curse Soul Society's indecision and curse Aizen for his very existence!

As the moon begins to rise, a shadow falls over me. I look up and see a familiar face, a friend I haven't seen for a while. He offers a hand and lifts me to my feet, then he smirks, "You heard the news didn't you?"

"Of course." I grumble.

"So are you thinking what I'm thinking?" the fiery young youth asks.

"What would that be?"

Ichigo steps into the light and clenches a fist. His bright determined eyes gleam in the fresh moonlight and a thin blue aura coats his figure. He chuckles to himself and cries, "Let's go stop Aizen!"

* * *

Please review. Your thoughts on this story would be greatly appreciated. 


	9. Rebellion

**Rebellion**

Sorry for the wait. Thank you loyal readers for your patience. Please review!

"You can't be serious!" I blurt out despite the weak shred of hope billowing up out of the darkness in the pit of my soul.

Ichigo just shoots me a look that says 'Well duh!' and flashes a wide grin. He's oddly happy considering Aizen has declared open war in his home town. But I guess that is how Ichigo has always been. Misfortune isn't something to be depressed about. It is merely a challenge, or at least that seems to be how he would put it. If I was as strong as Ichigo I would probably have that outlook on life but surely you can understand why I am shaking?

"Aizen is too strong for us to take on alone!" I groan, trying to deter him for reasons beyond me. Maybe I was afraid my friend was going to get himself killed when we really need him for the coming battle. Or maybe it's just because I'm a pathetic coward and I want him to chicken out as well so that I won't be alone. Fuck it. Either way I'm gonna lose right?

"Alex, of course I know he's strong. The captains wouldn't be on edge if he wasn't. But that doesn't matter. There is bad blood between us and I want to pay him back hundredfold for what he has done!"

"Rukia?" He nods. Lucky guess. Do I get a cookie?

"You know it. You're more than welcome to join me, but whatever you say, I'm still going." I swear to god his optimism is infectious. Even I got bitten by the bravery bug.

"Ha! I wouldn't want you to die alone! I'll have to go with you."

Ichigo chuckles, "Yeah, if we're going to die we might as well die like heroes! We'll cripple Aizen and his invasion force and stop the war from ever happening! And if we happen to fall in battle we'll make sure to take Aizen and his minions down with us!"

"I'm in!" I said without thinking. I don't think I need to think (Confused? So am I) This battle is for everyone. Not just me and my friends. Not just for Rukia. This is for every single living thing in the entire world, Hell even the dead things are counting on the outcome of this battle! If we could at least give our side the edge we need to win then my death won't be in vain. All those times I woke up in a hospital or infirmary because I was too weak, all those times I had to be saved by someone else because I couldn't win...All of it would be worth it for this one moment of glory!

I have to go!

"Any other takers?" I ask with a sidelong glance at my partner in crime.

"Of course. We may have been ordered to stay put but there are more dissenting individuals out there who cannot wait to tear out Aizen's throat."

"So who's coming with us?"

"We are!" a voice carried over my shoulders and sure enough I spun around to meet them. I saw familiar faces among the raiding party. Some were a surprise I must say.

"Wow! This is perfect! We can totally win this war before Aizen even knows what hit him!" Call me over-confident but I need something to take my mind off the terrifying reality of Aizen's unmatched power. I don't dare mention he could take on a couple of captains and kill them all in one fell swoop without even breaking a sweat. That wouldn't help at all. So instead I resign myself to think of victory.

Besides, we've got a good shot at glory with this lot.

A couple of high ranking officers stand before me. A bald guy, a freakish fancy boy, a red-head with unexplainable zebra stripes on his forehead, a lonesome looking guy, a dark-skinned maiden with purple hair, Rukia, Urahara and Orihime.

Sounds like a party!

* * *

We assemble by the foot of a great cliff on the outskirts of Sereitei. The strangers all made their introductions since half of us had never met before.

"Ikkaku Madarame, eleventh squad lieutenant." The bald guy. He seems to carry Kenpachi's mannerisms; the two must have been close. But then again I heard that the eleventh squad practically worshipped their captain as a god so I guess his influence could easily rub off on his followers.

"I am Yumichika Ayasegawa, eleventh squad, third seat." The oddball with a couple of brightly coloured feathers jutting out from his eyelids in some kind of weird fashion statement (or maybe he head-butted a bird? I don't know) He seems to lack the aggressive vibe that Ikkaku has, but I guess if he is a third seat then he must be no pushover.

The red-head opens his mouth but no words come out. Instead all eyes fall on the unusual bulge in Ikkaku's uniform. Something bright and pink pops out from his collar and suddenly a small child rolls out onto the grass. She has a white captain's coat but...Surely she isn't...It's just for dress-ups right?

"I'm captain Yachiru! Nice to meet'cha!"

Wait a minute...I remember her! She was the little girl that clung to Kenpachi like a lamprey and hitched a ride everywhere they went. I never expected her to be strong I mean...Look at her. She's a bubbly little girl who barely fits her haori. Her sword even has training wheels! How in the hell does a girl like that make it to be captain? And of eleventh squad no less!

"Betcha I can tell what you're thinkin'!" the girl chirps. In the very next instant that little smiling face is gone and suddenly I feel weighed down on one shoulder. I turn to face her but before I can even glimpse her shadow she is back beside Ikkaku. I rub my neck and turn away, embarrassed, but my hand comes away slick and wet.

It's blood!

Did one of my wounds open up again? But how did-

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Yachiru giggles so innocently as she waves around a rolled up bandage like a flag in a parade, "You're funny!"

"I'm not funny!" I snap, "You stole my damn-" A hand rests on my shoulder and the red-head looks me straight in the eye as he speaks.

"Don't test her. She may not look it, but she is scary if you get on her bad side."

"Yeah..." I mutter awkwardly. As I turn back to face the little demon I realise now that her entire body is surrounded by a slight blazing aura. It is faint but considering she isn't even concentrating... The human zebra was right. I sure as hell don't want to push her buttons.

"Anyway," stripes announces as if he deserves the spotlight, "I'm the lieutenant of squad six, Abarai Renji! And if you're a friend of Rukia, you're a friend of mine!"

I find it odd that for someone who feels so close to Rukia, I honestly have never heard her mention his name before. I guess they must be friends from way back or something but even so you'd think she would drop his name once or twice right? Oh well. He seems just like Ichigo, headstrong, overconfident. That must be Rukia's type, but then what the Hell am I? I'm not really anything like them...I guess I'm just lucky.

I shake hands with Renji and then glance over to the solitary guy standing away from the group. He hasn't made eye contact with anyone the entire time, at least I don't think he has, but half of his face is concealed by a mop of blonde hair so it's impossible to tell from my angle. If he can even see through all that then who knows he might have been staring right at me the entire time.

Either way he senses my gaze and looks up slowly. His eyes are ringed in black and his expression is hard to read, but it's not half obvious he's not in high spirits. "Izuru Kira." And with that he looks away again. If this were a cartoon there would be a little black rain cloud hovering over him. It's not my business to pry but seriously, what is wrong with him?

"We all have unfinished business with Aizen," Renji snarls, "Some of our personal demons are stronger than others." He says this almost solemnly and suddenly the whole mood of our raiding party has shifted. That ray of hope from before just dulled considerably, but at least it is still there...

The introductions are almost over when the lithe woman in ninja barb approaches me. Urahara stands close by and grins wider than usual. I don't really know what he's smiling about but really I don't want to know.

"Yoruichi Shihoin. I'm an old acquaintance of Urahara's. He's told me quite a lot about you. I look forward to fighting alongside you." She smirks as I bow to her and then she pads over to Ichigo and gives him a sidelong glance that makes him shift uncomfortably.

How much have I missed? It seems everyone has some personal history with each other except for me, but then that should be expected when they have all been alive for hundreds of years. If you didn't know anyone by the age of two hundred you are better off dead.

Anyway out of obligation and because I have nothing else to go on, I introduce myself, bowing awkwardly as if I were forced at gunpoint to do so, "Hello, my name is Alex. I hope I won't be a burden on you all. I just want to fight to protect the people I care for. I may not be the greatest swordsman, or have years of training like you do, but you can count on me to watch your back no matter what!"

Their appraising stares make me feel slightly self-conscious and a little guilty that I might not be able to help them _that _much when push comes to shove. But at least with these comrades we might be able to make a difference in this coming war and save our world. It's all I can hope for and all I can do is keep moving forward.

And so, Urahara begins setting up some sort of gateway in silence. We watch on and some of the others talk freely, but I don't really feel like chatting right now. At best I try and meet the stares of the strangers around me but I don't feel 100% on this. Every single time I think about our chance to be the heroes and save the day before Karakura town is reduced to rubble I just get reminded of the fearsome Lord Aizen and his demonic subordinate, Ulquiorra Schiffer. His minions alone are enough to destroy me; I can only hope the others stand a little more of a chance against them.

Something rubs against my shoulder and of course when you're thinking about imminent death you can't help but jump and panic like a complete idiot. Especially when it's only Rukia.

My outburst surprised her as much as it surprises me and we both stare wide-eyed for a moment before we regain our bearings again. She begins to apologise but I cut her off with my own feeble attempt at saying sorry for scaring her. Renji and Ichigo both watch on with smiles that dig under my skin but I try and keep that fact hidden since this time I really don't need to get on Ichigo's bad side. He's watching my back and I'm watching his. We need to stick together if we are to have any hope in this coming battle.

When the tension lifts a little we all just watch Urahara set up whatever the Hell it is he is setting up. I look to the others for a clue, like I always have in situations I don't understand but even they are somewhat stumped by Urahara's set-up.

Between two large boulders there are now two large poles jutting out. Something is wrapped around the ends making them look like huge cigars and after tying off one end Urahara glances down at us and smiles. Everyone gets the message that it means he is ready and we assemble beneath the poles and watch on once again with child-like awe as Urahara begins his incantation.

"In my right hand I hold the stone that connects the borders of worlds. In my left hand I hold the blade that binds existence. The black haired shepherd, the seat of the noose, a bank of clouds comes, striking us and the crested ibis..." He trailed off and turned his attention to the gap between the poles.

Something is wrong. The air is splintering, cracking as if it were cheap shitty glass. The rift grows bigger and like jaws open up in a great silent yawn and in the next moment there is a black hole in the sky, stretching far between the two boulders.

I'm sure I'm not the only one gawking like an idiot. A quick glance around proves me right, everyone else is standing with their jaws dropped and eyes wide like a toddler seeing fireworks for the first time.

Urahara's suddenly booming voice wakes us all from our trances and brings us back to reality.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Roll up, roll up! Next stop, Hueco Mundo!"

That idiot...

But still, with no other choice we line up and march towards the darkness. There is no turning back now, no time for fear, no time for doubt. We can only move forward...

One step at a time...


End file.
